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Researching Cooking Schools
At this point you should have decided on the type of degree that you plan to earn, and whether or not you would like to enroll in a private or a public school. Since there a large number of culinary colleges in the Merrick area and across the Country, you need to develop a checklist of important qualifiers so that you can start narrowing your choices. A few obvious qualifiers, for example cost and location are a good place to begin. But picking a school because it is the nearest or the least expensive is not the optimal way to decide on your education. There are other variables, including reputation and accreditation that you must review as well. So following are some crucial areas that you should research for every school as you compare and contrast them and make your final decision.
Accreditation. It's imperative that the culinary school you select has some type of accreditation from either a local or a national agency. As aforementioned, the accrediting organization should be a U.S. Department of Education recognized agency, for example the American Culinary Federation (ACF). ACF accredited schools have passed a comprehensive review regarding their curriculum, teachers and facilities. So not only does accreditation help establish that you will receive quality training, but it may also help in securing a student loan or financial assistance which are generally not available for non-accredited schools.
Age. Recently established schools generally have the advantage of having modern facilities and equipment. However, they may not have been in operation long enough to garner an accreditation or to cultivate a reputation. On the other hand, older schools may still be using their original, dated equipment, but have established a long history of excellence and earned one or more accreditations. Also, the much more a school has operated, the more graduates the school can solicit for its job placement program. Certainly there is some give and take dependent on the age of the culinary schools. And older, more highly regarded schools commonly modernize their equipment and facilities. The valuable lesson is that in the best case scenario, your chosen school will have an excellent reputation, accreditation and a modern facility with modern equipment.
Job Placement Rates. Initially, find out what the graduation rates are for the culinary schools you are examining. Low graduation rates are indications that numerous students were dissatisfied with either the colleges or the courses and quit before graduating. They can also signify that the instructors were not competent to teach the curriculum. Ask the schools to furnish their job placement rates also. If a college has a higher job placement rate, it will help verify that it has a good or exceptional reputation within the culinary community, as well as a broad network of professional contacts. Be suspicious of any school that will not provide this information.
Location. The culinary arts college that you attend must be within commuting distance of your Merrick home, unless you are able to relocate. You may look into attending college online, but you would still have to travel for your externship program. Alternatively, maybe you have opted to go to a specific culinary school located in a different state due to its prominence and courses offered. It would be a good idea to check out the campus before enrolling, to make sure that you are satisfied with the area and your future living conditions. Look over the training facilities in person to make certain they are up to date and that the equipment is state of the art. Keep in mind also that many schools target their job placement programs within their regional communities, so select a location where you will enjoy working.
Class Sizes. The ideal way to learn how to cook is with a lot of personalized training. If the cooking institute you enroll in has bigger classes, you will most likely get limited individual attention from the teachers. The best manner in which to evaluate the communication and interaction between teachers and students is to attend several of the classes. Ask a couple of the students what their experience has been. Ascertain if they are pleased with the level of attention they get in class as well as the entire course of training. Also, speak with some of the teachers and learn what their teaching philosophies are as well as their experiences and credentials.
Flexible Class Schedules. There is no sense in enrolling in a cooking school if you will be unable to attend the classes. Therefore make sure that the school you pick has available class scheduling that will accommodate your hectic lifestyle. If you can only attend in the evening or on Saturdays or Sundays near Merrick NY due to your job schedule, make certain that the school you decide on offers either night or weekend classes. If you can only attend on a part-time basis, make sure that the culinary college has a part-time option. Also, ask what the make-up policy is if you must miss a class as a result of work, family or other responsibilities.
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